2nd Gr. Community Project

2009-2010 Community Mapping Project Using Mapwing:

This project was a collaborative effort between the teacher-librarian, Ms. Frachetti, and 2nd grade teachers Mrs. Umberger and Mrs. Willett.

Click on the following links to see students' work for each of the following homeroom teachers:
Mrs. Umberger
Mrs. Willett
Mrs. Diller
Description of Community Mapping Project:
In the classroom....students learned about the various elements that make up a community. They also learned the elements of a map, such as using a key/legend. Then, in cooperative groups, students chose the specific places they wanted to put in their own community map, including places to live, work (community services), play, and shop.

In the library....students viewed an informational DVD on communities. The video was stopped at various points to allow students to discuss different aspects of communites and share their thoughts with group members. Then students practiced note-taking skills using a graphic organizer to record the information they deemed most important from their discussions about what makes a community.

Ms. Frachetti, Mrs.Umberger and Mrs. Willett worked with all classes in the computer lab to help students find online images representing the key places in each groups' community. Students learned how use keywords to locate their images and then copy and save images to a community server space. Then students worked independently and with their groups to write comments for each area of their community, describing how each element made the community a better place to live. All pictures (including a photo of each groups' community map) were then uploaded to a web 2.0 tool called Mapwing, along with student comments, to create a virtual tour of each groups' community!

Standards addressed:
Geography Standards
Standard 1:

• Discover what maps are and learn to use basic features.
• Learn about the features, advantages, and disadvantages of urban, suburban, and rural communities

Library/Information Literacy & Technology Standards:
Standard 2--Research and Evaluate Information:

• Asks questions about a topic and uses research questions and a graphic organizer to map ideas;
• Locate information relevant to their topic using print and non-print resources (video/group discussion)
• Evaluate information for relevance to their question (group discussions)
• Share conclusions with others (done within cooperative groups and individual comments for community elements in mapwing)
• Internet browsing

..........--uses the toolbar to navigate;
..........--clicks on links and images to locate and save image files to a designated folder

• Uses a digital camera to take photos (with assistance) and import photos to a computer application